PFAS alert issued
The Illinois Department of Public Health is advising private well owners to check if they are in the vicinity of community water systems that have shown elevated levels of one or more forever chemicals, or PFAS, in testing conducted by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.
PFAS’ are persistent chemicals that can accumulate in the human body over time. Excess levels of PFAS have been linked to a number of potential health issues, including higher risks of cancer and thyroid disease.
Officials warn of DMV scams
The Illinois Secretary of State’s Office is warning residents of a text scam.
Messages pretending to be from the “Illinois State Department of Motor Vehicles” have been circulating. The scam texts attempt to scare drivers by threatening to suspend their driving privileges and vehicle registration if they don’t pay fines.
Officials warn against responding to the scam messages or opening any links in the text.
Former governor honored with reading room
Gov. J.B. Pritzker joined leaders from across the state Wednesday to honor former Illinois Governor and Secretary of State Jim Edgar by dedicating the “Jim Edgar Reading Room” at the Illinois State Library in Springfield.
The program celebrated Edgar’s efforts to improve libraries and literacy programs across Illinois. Edgar announced in February that he has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.